Since the news broke of Al Franken sexually assaulting Leeann Tweeden, opinion has been divided regarding what course of action the Senator should take. Voices on both sides criticized Franken, but few were willing to completely throw him under the bus. However, another alleged victim has come forward claiming inappropriate sexual behavior; in this charged political climate, it is difficult to see how long he will be able to hold on.
Lindsay Menz from Texas reached out to CNN after seeing that Franken was being accused. She claims that in 2010 (two years after Franken was elected to the Senate), she was groped on the behind during a photo shoot. Whether it is true or not is unproven, but the reactions from the various sides are well worth looking at.
What is noticeably different with this charge is that it actually had a witness. Menz’s husband, Jeremy claims to have witnessed the event and felt uncomfortable at the time with what happened.
The Incident
The conduct apparently took place as Lindsay Menz was having her photo taken with the Senator by her husband. She describes how Franken "pulled me in really close, like awkward close, and as my husband took the picture, he put his hand full-fledged on my rear. It was wrapped tightly around my butt cheek."
Her husband describes the events in a similar manner. He said:
"He reached around her and kind of pulled her into him," he said making it clear that he didn’t see what took place behind. “He pulled her in and pushed his head against her head. It was over pretty quick."
Lindsay Menz claims that she told her husband and parents at the time of the incident.
Franken’s Reaction
In much the same manner as the Senator dismissed the first allegation by Tweeden, he responded similarly saying:
"I take thousands of photos at the state fair surrounded by hundreds of people, and I certainly don't remember taking this picture," Franken said. "I feel badly that Ms. Menz came away from our interaction feeling disrespected."
So yet again, he declares that the accuser shouldn’t be believed or is in some way wrong about the events, despite stating in his last non-apology that the woman should “always be believed.”
Franken’s Future
This could be the moment that the Democrats finally jettison Franken. They have defended his previous behavior stating that he was a former comedian and was “clearly just kidding around.” But this second allegation will be much more difficult to brush off.
As the left begin to abandon even former president Bill Clinton, it would be a brave politician that decides to stick with the floundering Senator. Once is easy to deny and move past, but twice and with a corroborating witness is almost impossible.
Key Senators have been supporting the idea of a Senate ethics committee for Al Franken, which would have likely found him completely innocent due to a lack of evidence (which would be the same case if Roy Moore makes it to the Senate). But with witnesses corroborating the story from the actual time of the alleged event, this could lead to Franken’s resignation.
